Biggest Disaster in history of Cloud Computing?

[Mi An]

T-Mobile: we probably lost all your Sidekick data

Tmobile isn't exactly new at cloud computing screwups, but I think they are new at this scale of a screwup.

Anti-cloudites, this is where you get to be very smug and feel superior.

Dear valued T-Mobile Sidekick customers:

T-Mobile and the Sidekick data services provider, Danger, a subsidiary of Microsoft, are reaching out to express our apologies regarding the recent Sidekick data service disruption.

We appreciate your patience as Microsoft/Danger continues to work on maintaining platform stability, and restoring all services for our Sidekick customers.

Regrettably, based on Microsoft/Danger's latest recovery assessment of their systems, we must now inform you that personal information stored on your device - such as contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists or photos - that is no longer on your Sidekick almost certainly has been lost as a result of a server failure at Microsoft/Danger. That said, our teams continue to work around-the-clock in hopes of discovering some way to recover this information. However, the likelihood of a successful outcome is extremely low. As such, we wanted to share this news with you and offer some tips and suggestions to help you rebuild your personal content. You can find these tips in our Sidekick Contacts FAQ. We encourage you to visit the Forums on a regular basis to access the latest updates as well as FAQs regarding this service disruption.

In addition, we plan to communicate with you on Monday (Oct. 12) the status of the remaining issues caused by the service disruption, including the data recovery efforts and the Download Catalog restoration which we are continuing to resolve. We also will communicate any additional tips or suggestions that may help in restoring your content.

We recognize the magnitude of this inconvenience. Our primary efforts have been focused on restoring our customers' personal content. We also are considering additional measures for those of you who have lost your content to help reinforce how valuable you are as a T-Mobile customer.

We continue to advise customers to NOT reset their device by removing the battery or letting their battery drain completely, as any personal content that currently resides on your device will be lost.

Once again, T-Mobile and Microsoft/Danger regret any and all inconvenience this matter has caused.

[JRakes]

I'm not even gonna say it...

If I were in that situation, though (as a Customer,) I'd take somebody's head off for using the term "inconvenience" that often!

[jigwashere]

I think this should be moved to the Sidekick forum. This is very on-topic.

[headcronie]

I have reason to gloat. Own your own data! I can't say it enough. Someone else is bound to screw it up for you!

Long live the local sync!

[JRakes]

Hear, hear, HC!

[questionfear]

Yea...this is where backups come in handy. Even if Google crashed one day, I try really hard to back up nightly on an SD card, so at worst I'd be a day behind on contacts and calendar.

Nothing is foolproof. Harddrives, devices, cloud computing, everything has a failure rate and it's bound to hit at some point. By storing information in the cloud, on your hard drive, on a card, you lower the chance that EVERYTHING is gone before you can save something.

[jigwashere]

My guess is that the majority of people who lost data in this fiasco are also not backing up their PCs. This incident is significant in the number of people it's affecting simultaneously, but each one is risking their own little incident at home. I should know since I suffered a major HD crash with no viable backup.

[NamelessPlayer]

Again, this is why I say that the only cloud I will deal with regarding cloud computing is that between all of MY hardware. I can't trust anyone else's servers enough. Furthermore, any device that relies 100% upon the cloud for data storage and retrieval is bound to have something like this happen, hence why such a device will never be an option.

Unfortunately, with smartphones being the norm now, nobody seems to make any apps anymore that can use locally-stored databases in the event that *gasp!* you don't happen to have an Internet connection at that very moment! Not everyone needs a data plan or wants to pay up for one, and even then, no network is flawless...

Of course, at the moment it's not proper cloud computing that I'm using for PIM, just USB or Bluetooth sync between my hx4700, TC1100, and my flagship desktop. (I'm willing to experiment with Exchange Servers, but not if it means spending far more money than I actually have for the software required to do so. Especially not worth it when it's just for home/individual use, hardly a business/corporate/enterprise scenario with hundreds or even thousands of drones with work-supplied smartphones.)

[JRakes]

Very true, QF and Jig (you, too, NP) - Everything is subject to failure. But I still believe that cloud storage, by its nature, offers a whole lot more chains in the link that can break, besides other risks (security, accessibility at any given moment, etc.)

I'm a big believer in redundant backups. In contrast, I suspect the general "guy/gal on the street" who jumps into the whole cloud thing because it's the "in" thing is probably not doing any sort of backing up. These would be the same type folks who buy a smartphone and just play with it out-of-the-box for texting / emailing primarily, and the occasional game. I don't have a lot of sympathy for those folks - Sort of like someone who's never driven suddenly hopping into a 'Vette and taking off in rush hour traffic. You gets what you gets...

I'll keep my local sync (with backups on TWO additional hard drives,) TYVM.

[Hook]

I would never depend on the cloud --I'm strictly a local sync guy. On the other hand, I have been swayed by the convenience of ubiquitous syncing anywhere anytime to use the cloud, but never as a sole source of any data.